Armed with 159 separate contributions — including maxed out donations from Dan Gilman and Bill Peduto’s election committee — Erika Strassburger took a commanding lead in fundraising in Pittsburgh’s March 6 special election by raking just over $91,241 in January, according to city campaign finance reports.

The election for city council’s District 8, which includes a central chunk of the affluent East End, is to replace former city councilman Gilman after he resigned to become Mayor Peduto’s new chief of staff in early January.

In the high-ceilinged auditorium of Soldiers and Sailors Memorial in Oakland, introduced by short films trumpeting success from high rankings on LGBTQ rights to the newly ubiquitous bike lanes, Bill Peduto was sworn in for his second term as mayor of Pittsburgh Wednesday afternoon.

The veteran East End politician’s inauguration capped 24-hour flurry of ceremonies starting Tuesday night that swore in three new elected officials to Pittsburgh and Allegheny county councils as well.

After a tough year of water flush and boil advisories and partial lead-line replacement controversies, Pittsburgh Mayor Bill Peduto’s Blue Ribbon Panel suggests that the Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority needs to completely restructure its management system, instead of being privatized.

According to its final report released last week, the panel says the reorganization should be completed by March 31 through a contract between the city and PWSA.

Pittsburgh City Councilman Dan Gilman is Mayor Bill Peduto’s new chief of staff.

Peduto made the announcement in a press release issued Tuesday afternoon. Gilman will finish out his term as District 8 representative, which includes Shady Side, Point Breeze and North Squirrel Hill among others, before taking over the position on January 3, 2018.

“It’s an incredible honor to be asked to serve in this role to the mayor of your city,” Gilman said after a city council meeting Tuesday.